Much ado has been made about Bronny James’ first game with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside his legendary father, LeBron James — and not all of it is good.

The Washington Post published an opinion column in which sportswriter Rick Reilly all but excoriated the younger James, remarking that he “felt bad for the kid” as he played alongside his legendary father for the first time on October 22, snarling that “sports is the last true meritocracy” and suggesting that “nepo babies” in other fields (such as politics and acting) have carte blanche to do as they please because of their talented, and bordering on iconic, lineage.

“Nobody puts you in the Yankees’ lineup just because your last name is Mantle. You don’t get to quarterback in the NFL because you grew up an Elway. They aren’t called the Denver Broncos and Sons,” Reilly wrote, suggesting that Bronny James barely deserves a spot on a street-ball court, let alone playing alongside his legendary father on one of the greatest teams in the NBA.

Indeed, Bronny James is nowhere near the icon that LeBron James is. Bronny’s inaugural appearance on the court in the preseason was nothing if not soggy, as he averaged only 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds while making just one of his 12 three-point attempts. In the second half of the season opener — where Bronny and LeBron took the court together, thus making history as the first father-son duo to play together on a pro court, the younger James missed his only shot attempt and grabbed just a single rebound in three minutes of action before returning to the bench.

In short, Bronny wasn’t exactly a modern-day Michael Jordan, let alone a modern-day LeBron James.

But that’s hardly the point.

First of all, Reilly’s assertion that “legacy kids” in other fields just get the red carpet rolled out to them is, quite simply, false. Reilly’s examples of RFK Jr. and Tom Hanks’ kids are actually the perfect examples of how “nepo babies” are held up to impossible standards.

Let’s be real: who amongst us takes Chet Hanks seriously as a gangsta rapper? And who amongst us really expected RFK Jr.’s failed presidential run as a re-launch of the 1960s Camelot dream? Would either of those men be held to the same impossible standard if their fathers weren’t icons in their respective fields?

Second, while it’s true that Bronny has a long way to go before he can even be considered for a contributing role on the team, it’s difficult, if not impossible, for him to live up to his father — and there isn’t a sports commentator who would compare him to LeBron James if Bronny’s father wasn’t, well, LeBron James. Are we really managing our expectations, or are we holding Bronny to a standard that couldn’t be achieved by arguably any person on the planet?

Many NBA players drafted into the league aren’t superstars on their best day. But expecting a second-round draft pick to play like LeBron James just because he’s LeBron James’ son — in his first game, no less — is nothing short of ludicrous. Give “the kid” some grace — or, at least, the same grace one would give any other new player.